Printing mechanism



Feb. 27, 1934. E. LAROCHE PRINTING MECHANISM Filed April 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

/ A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1934. LARQCHE PRINTING MECHANISM Filed April 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1934. E, LAROCHE PRINTING MECHANISM Filed April 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I jNVEN TOR. BY

ZQ a ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE Paramount Publix Corporation,

New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 1, 1930. Serial No. 440,681

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for the printing of action records and accompanying sound records, and has for one of its objects the provision of a method and apparatus whereby production on these machines may be increased. Although not so limited in its application, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the printing of news films wherein it is customary to record the action and accompanying sound on the same operation. In this same connection high speed in making the positives is of importance as it is desirable that the positive films be finished and distributed quickly in order that the finished records may be projected as soon as possible after the recorded events have taken place.

A further object of my invention is the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for the recording of sound and action wherein absolute register of the sound and action is assured.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for the recording of sound and action in printing wherein the printing process is done in such a manner as to permit of the production of a plurality of finished films in a comparatively small space, the space occupied by my apparatus for the production of a plurality of finished films being much smaller than with the apparatus heretofore employed while the chances of error in the production of the finished film or films is reduced to a minimum.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for the printing of sound and action records wherein the action and corresponding sound are simultaneously printed as distinguished from 40 those methods heretofore employed wherein the action is first printed, the corresponding sound being printed at a later stage in the operation, or vice Versa.

In the drawings accompanying this application I have shown one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 1 shows an apparatus suitable for the practice of my improved method in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section somewhat enlarged of the mechanism employed adjacent the light apertures at which the exposures are made on the unexposed film; and

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail: My improved apparatus comprises positively driven film sprockets 1 mounted on a shaft 2 driven from a cg main drive shaft 3 through miter gears 4 and 5. Referring to Fig. 1, above the sprockets 1 is a film guiding roller 6 and below these sprockets is a pair of film guiding rollers 7 and 8. These rollers S, 7 and 8 are merely idler rollers over (55 and about which the negative film 9 and the film 10 to be exposed are caused to travel downwardly continuously, as viewed in Fig. 1. Some distance below the idler roller 8 and in line therewith is a pair of driven film sprockets 11 and 12 mounted on a shaft 13 which extends vertically as viewed in Fig. 3 and horizontally as viewed in Fig. 1 and carries a spur gear 14 in mesh with spur gear 15 on driven shaft 16. The shaft 16 is rotated from the drive shaft 3 through herringbone gearing 17.

The films in their travel through the machine are held against the sprockets l1 and 12 by a pivoted shoe 18, the pivoting of this shoe away from the sprockets permitting of initial thread- 8Q ing of the film through the mesh.

Below the sprockets 11 and 12 is pivoted roller 19 for holding the films in position relatively to a light aperture 20 in light box 21 which is provided interiorly with a light 22 for printing foot- 35 age numbers or other characters on the film after the films are printed.

Intermediate the sprockets 11 and 12 and concentric therewith is a cylinder-dike shell made up of two members 23 and 24 suitably secured to each other and to a stationary housing 25. The films 9 and 10 are advanced along an inclined plate 26 across the face of this shell which is provided with a light aperture divided by the knife edge of a plate 28 into two apertures 29 and 30, the aperture 29 being provided for sound exposures and 30 for action exposures.

From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that the light apertures 29 and 30 are horizontally disposed side by side transversely of the direction of the film travel so that as the films are advanced continuously across these apertures the action and accompanying sound can be simultaneously printed on the film 10.

Behind the sprockets 11 and 12 and the light apertures 29 and 30 just referred to are two light boxes 31 and respectively, the light box 31 being provided with a source of light 33, while the action box 32 is provided with an independently controllable light source 34. The two boxes no 31 and 32 are out of communication with each other.

The sound light box 31 is provided with an opening 35 and secured to the side of the box over this opening is a light conducting tube 36 directed at the proper angle toward the apertures 29 and 30.

Similarly the action light box 32 is provided with an opening 37 and secured to the side of this box and over this aperture is a light conducting tube 38, this tube also being directed at the proper angle toward the apertures 29 and 30.

When viewed in front elevation, as shown in Fig. 5 for instance, the tubes 36 and 38 are offset relatively to each other. 39 and 40 designate two metal plates or diaphragms which as will be seen from Fig. 5 and also from Fig. 2 cut through the two light tubes 36 and 38 vertically. The two plates are shaped at their forward end as viewed in Fig. 2 so as to fit precisely the shell provided by the members 23 and 24, and these two plates are likewise provided with an aperture fitting the shaft 13 in a light-tight manner. From an inspection of Fig. 5 it will be seen that the sound light tube 36 is provided with a partition 41 to one side of the plate 39 so that light from the source 33 can only escape from said tube 36 at one side of the plate 39.

Likewise from Fig. 5 it will be seen that the action tube 38 is provided with a partition 42 at one side of the plate 40 so that light can escape from this tube only at one side of the plate 40. The partitions 41 and 42 are so disposed that the light rays from source 33 pass out of tube 36 at one side of the plate 39, while light rays from the source 34 pass out of the tube 38 at the other side of the plate 40.

It will be appreciated from an inspection of the drawings that the knife edge 27 of the member 28 forms a vertical partition to provide the two apertures 29 and 30 as already explained and ina much as the plates 39 and 40 are in line with and abut the rear edge of the member 28, light from the tube 36 will be projected through the sound aperture 29, being absolutely shut off from the aperture 30, while light from the tube 38 will be projected through the aperture 30 being absolutely shut off from the ape ture 29.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that I have provided a construction wherein it is possible to simultaneously print sound and corresponding action on the face of a traveling film in side by side relation transversely of the film simultaneously. It will be appreciated also that inasmuch as the light sources 33 and 34 are independent of each other and inasmuch as each is equipped with its own mechanism for varying the intensity of these two light sources the positive record made from the negative 9 can be accurately controlled so far as the amount of light projected upon the film 10 during the making of the print is concerned, and in conformity with the density of the sound and action records recorded on the positive film.

After the films have passed the apertures 29 and 30 they pass along the face of an inclined plate 43 and behind the roller 19 between it and footage light aperture 20 whereby the footage record is made on the film as will be understood.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus above described may be modified or changed within the spirit and scope of my invention, the apparatus described having been found, however, commercially practicable.

I mentioned at the outset of this description that my invention was well adapted for the quick and accurate production of positive films of action and accompanying sound which was of great importance in connection with the making of sound news films. This will now be apparent. I also mentioned that the present invention is also particularly adapted for this type of work inasmuch as it permits of a plurality of positive films to be made on the one passage of the negative through the machine and that the machine is so constructed and arranged that this result can be obtained in the minimum of space. In this connection it will be understood that it is merely necessary to duplicate the printing mechanism as many times as may be necessary to produce the desired number of positives and to run the negative through these printers successively.

Inasmuch as the sound and action apertures 29 and 30 are disposed in horizontal relation it will be appreciated that a saving is effected in vertical distance required for such an installation of my improved apparatus, which permits of an increase in the number of installations possible in a given vertical space.

What I claim is:--

1. Printing mechanism for the printing of sound and action films, comprising in combination of a cylindrical structure provided in one wall with light apertures for the simultaneous printing of action and accompanying sound, means for advancing a negative sound and action film and an unexposed film over said cylindrical structure across said apertures, an opaque partition disposed transversely of said cylindrical structure and extending across the same to said apertures, two light boxes, a light tube for each box intersected by said partition, a light source for each light box, and a partition in each light tube, said partitions being on opposite sides of the first mentioned partition, said partitions confining the li ht rays to their proper path, so that the light rays from one source wholly will be confined to the sound aperture and the light rays from the other source will be confined to the action aperture.

2. Printing mechanism for the printing of sound and action films, the combination of a. cylindrical hollow member provided in its outer wall with two light apertures lying beside each other, means for effecting the continuous travel of a sound and action film and an unexposed film across said apertures, an opaque transverse partition in said cylindrical member, the forward end of which extends to the division between said apertures, two light boxes, a light tube communicating with each box, a source of light in each box, said partition extending rearwardly from said cylindrical member so as to intercept said light tubes, and a partition in each tube at right angles to the first mentioned partition, the light rays from one light source being thereby confined to one side of the first mentioned partition and directed to one aperture and the light rays from the other light source being confined to the other side of the first mentioned partition and directed to the other aperture.

3. In printing mechanism for the simultaneous printing of action and accompanying sound, the combination of a pair of film advancing sprockets, light aperture mechanism between said sprockets providing an aperture for making action exposures and an aperture for simultaneously making accompanying sound exposures, a shaft carrying said sprockets, two plates providing a partition extending from the division between said apertures rearwardly from said apertures, said plates having a light-tight fit about said shaft, a pair of light tubes each of which is divided longitudinally by said plates throughout part of its length into compartments, a light box for each tube, a source of light in each box, and an opaque wall for each tube preventing the passage of light rays out of the tube at one side of said plates, the light rays from one tube being directed to the sound light aperture and the light rays from the other tube being directed to the action aperture.

4. In printing mechanism for the simultaneous printing side by side on a film of action and accompanying sound, the combination of a cylinderlike hollow member extending transversely of the film travel and provided in its outer wall with two light apertures disposed side by side longitudinally of the hollow member, film sprockets at each side of said apertures, a shaft extending through the hollow member and carrying said sprockets, two plates or diaphragms extending into and fitting said cylinder-like member and terminating at the division between said apertures, said plates receiving said shaft in a lighttight manner, a pair of light tubes to the rear of said cylinder-like member, said tubes being divided throughout part of their length into two compartments by the rearward extension of said 

